In in Ondo State, five people have been reportedly infected with the deadly Lassa fever.

this was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Taye Oni, who spoke with journalists in Akure on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.

Oni confirmed that the disease had affected two people in Owo Local Government and two people in Akoko North-West Local Government.

Oni said, “Of the cases recorded by the state government, we have a 56-year-old male, a 47- year-old female and another two people in Akoko South-West. This is not the usual time it occurs in Ondo State. It usually occurs during the dry season but limited to Owo and Ose local governments.

“Government is doing its best to contain the recorded cases by isolating the patients to prevent further spread. We also embarked on aggressive contact tracing, sensitisation of the people not just in Owo and Ose but across the state on prevention and precautionary measures.

“Most times, we have always run to Irrua Specialists’ Hospital in Edo State but the facility is already overwhelmed with so many cases across the country, that is why we are collaborating with the Federal Medical Centre, Owo in handling the recorded cases.”

The commissioner appealed to the people of the state to always visit the nearest government hospitals whenever they had recurring fever.

In the same vein, a student of the Achievers University in Owo has also contracted the disease and this was confirmed by the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tunji Ibiyemi but refused to disclose the identity of the victim.